


What lurks in the shadows of my passion

by A_Concerned_Citizen



Series: Phoenix [4]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst, Back before the festival and the finale, Dave | Technoblade and Wilbur Soot and TommyInnit are Siblings, Gen, More 'ouch yikes', Pogtopia, Technoblade cares about his brothers, This is a slightly sad ending, Well you were wrong, Wilbur Soot Needs a Hug, You thought this was gonna be hurt/comfort?, than 'oh god I'm crying'
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-28
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:14:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27749587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Concerned_Citizen/pseuds/A_Concerned_Citizen
Summary: "Are you okay?"Techno asks Wilbur the same question every night and always receives the same reply."Of course!"~*~Or Wilbur pretends everything is fine and Techno sees through his lie.
Relationships: Dave | Technoblade & Wilbur Soot, Dave | Technoblade & Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit, Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit
Series: Phoenix [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1971667
Comments: 24
Kudos: 315





	What lurks in the shadows of my passion

**Author's Note:**

> Hey folks! 
> 
> Ready for another work in this series?  
> For those of you that don't know, the 'Phoenix' series is a collection of sleepy bois fics all set in a (mostly) canon-compliant universe. This is set after Techno arrives in Pogtopia (read the work before this one for that if you want to)
> 
> You do not need any information from previous works to understand this one, so if you'd rather read this as a stand-alone, go right ahead.
> 
> Hope everyone enjoys!

It had been a few days since Techno arrived in Pogtopia.

After the initial tension things were… slowly calming down again.

Nothing was completely fine, quite frankly nothing would be until Schlatt was out of Manberg and his brothers were back in their home, but they were getting better.

Each morning Techno started making breakfast, quietly sitting around the campfire with some eggs and making whatever he felt like that day (admittedly the options were limited) while trying not to wake his brothers.

Slowly Wilbur would drag himself out of bed and join him, scowling when Techno points out his messy hair and shoving a beanie on. He’d pretend to be angry for a second before Techno handed him a poorly carved bowl full of scrambled eggs, the brunets face immediately lighting up and proclaiming Techno always was his favourite.

Then, every morning without fail, Tommy would come running down the ravine shouting,

“I heard that!”

The three of them would sit down around the campfire, ignoring that even though it was morning the ravine was still dark. Wilbur putting lights up really helped, but the first few days where the campfire was the only source of light were awful.

They’d laugh and bicker and ignore the horrible reality. Wilbur would tease Tommy for something and the blond would always respond loudly and with colourful language. Every so often Techno would chime in with a dry remark and made the other two laugh.

Eventually, Wilbur would get up to go on patrol, kissing Tommy on the forehead (no matter how much Tommy protested) and nodding to Techno before leaving. Tommy would grouch for a few minutes before doing… honestly the pink-haired man didn’t really know what Tommy did with his time.

It seemed everyday the teen was doing something different, whether it be tunnels between Pogtopia and Manberg or working on the ravine.

Techno himself was pretty busy too, constantly searching and upgrading his equipment to take down the government. The potato farm was also his job and it was difficult to manage while still being there for his brothers.

Which… was perhaps his most difficult task.

You see, night time was… _interesting_ in Pogtopia.

Nobody had sleep schedules that were totally normal or healthy, let alone consistent. Sometimes they’d crash at midday and be up all night, watching the sunrise as though it were sunset.

Most nights though, Tommy would go to sleep either really early or really late, and then wake up early or sleep in until noon. Wilbur kind of… flopped down for fourteen hours when his body finally gave out, so it was really anyone’s best guess about when he would get sleep. Techno on the other hand barely slept at all. You’d never see him curled up in his hastily made bed, never. He slept for a few hours each night after everyone else went to bed, but you’d never be able to tell, what with the constant bags under his eyes.

Techno’s quite frankly ridiculous sleep schedule meant that he knew just about everything that happened in Pogtopia, and one thing he noticed was quite interesting to him.

Every night he would see the same thing, Wilbur going up to Tommy’s bed and checking up on him. Sometimes it was just running a hand slowly through his hair, on especially bad nights the brunet would reach under the covers to find Tommy’s wrist, pressing his fingers there to find a pulse, an assurance. Somehow, the boy never woke up. Perhaps that was a testimony to how tired he was, how drained being forever on the run made him.

Techno also was aware that Wilbur regretted a lot when it came to Tommy, he did too. Wished he had come sooner, regretted not writing back. He regretted so much- Techno shook his head, refocusing. What was he thinking about? Oh, right. Wilbur’s regrets were different from his. The man still wished he hadn’t brought Tommy to war the first time. He knows Wilbur wished he could have left the teen out of it. In the end though, against Dream Wilbur had relied a lot on his right-hand man. Putting a lot of pressure on the blond.

He didn’t do that anymore.

Wilbur took more on himself and shifted some duties to Techno as well. Tommy hadn’t caught on yet, probably too worried about Tubbo. His best friend stuck on enemy territory as a spy.

Speaking of the other teen, Techno got the sneaking suspicion Wilbur held the same regrets he did for Tommy. That the older man deeply regrets bringing him to war against Dream, and now relying on him as a spy. Tubbo was bossed around a lot, by Tommy and by Wilbur. The ex-president had kind of backed away though after Tubbo helped make the farm, trying to put at little pressure on Tubbo as possible. Make him feel safe and cared for in the few moments they had in each other’s presence away from Schlatt.

It was… sweet really. It almost felt like Techno was intruding when he saw the brunets care for his people (even if they were all ‘comrades’ and Tubbo was technically on the other side Wilbur still took charge and put them first).

Each night, after Wilbur had made sure Tommy was still alive and breathing he’d come and sit by Techno, just watching him as he farmed. Every time Techno wouldn’t say anything.

~*~

One day though, about two weeks after this became routine, Techno spoke up.

“Are you okay?”

Wilbur immediately perked up, an easily faked smile suddenly on his face. He looked for all the world like a happy person. Techno knew better, had spent too much time with Wilbur to not know how he worked. The brunet clearly knew this too but ignored it in favour of an easy lie.

“Yeah! I’m all good.”

He let it slide, knowing that he wouldn’t get anywhere by pushing tonight.

For a while the only sound in the farm was the water swaying gently and Techno’s heavy breathing as he planted more potatoes.

“Well... goodnight,” Wilbur mumbled after the quiet became oppressive.

By the time Techno turned around the other was long gone.

“...night.”

~*~

The next night, Techno was farming again.

Before long Wilbur drifted in, a blank look in his eyes.

“Are you okay?” he asked again, already knowing what Wilbur would say.

“Course,” Wilbur said instantaneously, “I’m fine.”

Once again, Techno accepted the lie without pushing.

Once again, Wilbur said goodnight and then was gone.

~*~

A month later it was normal to see Techno and Wilbur together late at night. One farming, the other sitting quietly.

“Are you okay?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

A month later and Wilbur still lied.

~*~

Techno was starting to wonder if his approach wouldn’t work.

Wilbur had been coming to watch him farm every night for about two months now, and each time Techno would ask the same question, but his brother never budged. Some weak, tingling thought at the back of his mind, saying that he hadn’t seen Wilbur in a while. His old tricks might not work. Techno pushed the idea away, not wanting to believe that he was useless to help his brother.

Regardless though, overthinking things was in his nature, so the pink-haired man stewed in regretful thoughts for the next several hours.

But eventually, right on schedule (scuffed as that schedule may be), Wilbur walked in. He took his usual spot, sitting on top of the cobblestone barrier between sections. Techno gave him a quiet nod of acknowledgement, nothing more, nothing less.

After a few minutes of silence Techno asked his usual question.

“Are you okay?”

Wilbur didn’t respond instantly like he normally did, instead thinking for a moment, “How many times are you going to ask me that?

“Until you tell me the truth.”

There was a light laugh, almost delicate in the way it hid bitterness.

“Have you considered that I’ve been telling the truth? That you’re worried over nothing.”

Techno bit back a wry grin, knowing it perhaps wasn’t appropriate.

“The thought had crossed my mind yes, but I decided it probably wasn’t worth it.”

Wilbur scoffed, “Yeah? Well stop asking. Even if I wasn’t fine -which I am- I wouldn’t tell- “

“Me?” Techno finished, squashing any feeling that came with the word.

A flash of guilt appeared on the brunets face, but it was masked by a carefully reserved expression moments later, “No, you know I don’t- ugh… I was going to say, I wouldn’t tell any of you. I… we’re all comrades and equal in the commune but… to be honest I’ve kind of become de-facto leader. I can’t- won’t- put anything else on you and Tommy. We’re already exiled and preparing for a war. Let alone the fact I can’t trus- “ Wilbur suddenly broke of, as if catching himself from saying something he’d regret, “You know what? Never mind. Just… I’m fine Techno. I appreciate it, I really do, but I can’t. Not right now.”

Wilbur then got up and walked away, hands shaking but with scarily blank eyes.

…Techno just let him go.

Distantly part of his mind felt rising concern over the brunets words. He felt like he couldn’t open up and talk because he was the leader? What was he going to say before he cut himself off? What was happening to his brother?

But his worry didn’t change the facts. Wilbur had made it clear he wasn’t opening up already and… well… Techno had a limit. He could go far for people he cared about but this had been happening for _months_.

Techno really did love Wilbur, the two of them had always been close after all, but he just… didn’t know what to do.

The fact that all the members of their little family were emotionally incompetent was evident, but somehow it hadn’t really been addressed. Techno didn’t- couldn’t- help Wilbur if he didn’t want it.

And… from what he could see Wilbur wouldn’t accept his help no matter how many times he offered it so…

Maybe one day they’d talk and Wilbur would be ready, and Techno would be there for him. He would wait for Wilbur to open up instead of pushing.

But for now, he’d let Wilbur hide away and pretend it was fine.

Techno was done.

~*~

Later, he would wonder if Wilbur had been teetering on the edge even then.

Later, he would wonder if maybe, just maybe, he could have pushed harder.

Later, he would wonder if he could’ve gotten Wilbur to open up before he became unstable.

Later, Techno would regret not asking Wilbur if he was okay.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading folks!
> 
> If you liked it please leave comments and kudos, they really do make my day.
> 
> I don't know what the next work in this series will be or when it will be out but keep an eye out if you're interested.
> 
> I hope you all have a lovely day/night! <3


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